The number and types of venom components that affect ion-channel function are reviewed.
These are the most important venom components responsible for human intoxication …

Most scorpion toxins are ligand peptides that recognize and bind to integral membrane
proteins known as ion-channels. To date there are at least 202 distinct sequences …

The inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) fold is an evolutionarily conserved structural motif shared by
a large group of polypeptides with diverse sequences and bioactivities. Although found in …

Arthropods are the most diverse animal group on the planet. Their ability to inhabit a vast
array of ecological niches has inevitably brought them into conflict with humans. Although …

Pest insect species are a burden to humans as they destroy crops and serve as vectors for a
wide range of diseases including malaria and dengue. Chemical insecticides are currently …

Calcins are peptides from scorpion venom with the unique ability to cross cell membranes,
gaining access to intracellular targets. Ryanodine Receptors (RyR) are intracellular ion …

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) comprise a class of short polypeptides that possess the
ability to selectively interact with the cytoplasmic membrane of certain cell types, translocate …

The episodic nature of natural selection and the accumulation of extreme sequence
divergence in venom-encoding genes over long periods of evolutionary time can obscure …

The three-disulfide inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) motif is a fold common to venom peptides
from spiders, scorpions, and aquatic cone snails. Over a decade ago it was proposed that …

Acid‐sensing ion channels (ASICs) are thought to be important ion channels, particularly for
the perception of pain. Some of them may also contribute to synaptic plasticity, learning, and …